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California's Top 50 high school football teams: No. 46 Marin Catholic looks to repeat

With 15 returning starters and addition of a state championship quarterback from just up the road, the Wildcats could better landmark season of 2021.

SBLive is previewing the Top 50 high school football teams in California ahead of the 2022 season. Here’s an inside look at the Marin Catholic Wildcats of the CIF North Coast Section, the No. 46 team in our countdown.

MARIN CATHOLIC TEAM PAGE | 2022 FALL FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

HEAD COACH

Mazi Moayed

  • 13th season at Marin Catholic
  • Overall record at Marin Catholic: 137-22
  • NCS titles: 2012, 2015, 2017, 2021
  • State title: 2021

2021 AT A GLANCE

  • Overall record: 14-1
  • League record: 5-0 in Marin County Athletic League
  • Points scored/allowed: 571/128
  • Won NCS Division IV, NorCal 4-AA and State 4-AA crowns, the latter with 33-14 victory over Central Valley Christian

2022 SCHEDULE

(All games are at 7 p.m. unless noted)

  • Aug. 26 at Freedom
  • Sept. 3 at Spanish Springs (Sparks, Nev.), 5 p.m.
  • Sept. 10 vs. Casa Grande, 9 p.m.
  • Sept. 17 at James Logan
  • Sept. 23 at Antioch
  • Oct. 8 at Tamalpais, 2 p.m.
  • Oct. 15 vs. Archie Williams, 2 p.m.
  • Oct. 22 vs. Redwood, 2 p.m.
  • Oct. 28 at San Rafael
  • Nov. 4 at San Marin

RETURNING STARTERS

  • 7 on offense
  • 8 on defense

IMPACT PLAYERS DEPARTED

  • Michael Ingrassia — QB — Graduation (Davis)
  • Charlie Knapp — WR/DB — Graduation
  • Charles McBride — DL — Graduation
  • Michael Brown — OL — Graduation
  • Charlie Allen — SS — Graduation

IMPACT TRANSFER

QB Joey Cook — Sr. — 6-1, 200

From: San Marin (Novato)

2021 stats: 112 completions, 194 attempts, 2,144 yards, 30 touchdowns, 3 interceptions

Coach said: “We were as surprised as anyone to see him at our doors. The kid is put together. He’s tough. He can really spin it. He’s a super kid and the transition has been seamless. We’re very excited about having Joey Cook.”

OTHER PLAYERS TO WATCH

RB/CB Charles Williams — Jr. — 6-1, 180

2021 stats: 1,192 total yards (914 rushing, 278 receiving), 13 touchdowns

Coach said: "A very special player. He’s got big skills, is a phenomenal athlete and is a fantastic human being. He keeps growing, literally and figuratively. He’ll play both sides of the ball this year. His ability to make people miss is special."

OL Mac Dorward — Sr. — 6-6, 300

2021 honors: All-MCAL first team, SF Chronicle All-Metro HM

Coach said: “He was on the interior at right guard last year, but we’re bumping him outside to tackle. Davidson is after him. Ivy League too.”

OG Cooper Scheuermann — Sr. — 6-2, 270

2021 honors: All-MCAL first team

Coach said: “Super solid. A student of the game. Executes at the highest level.”

C Nathan Frost — Sr. — 6-1, 225

Coach said: “One of the toughest players we have. He anchors everything up front.”

WR Matthew Greco — Sr. — 5-11, 175

2021 stats: 33 catches, 505 yards, eight touchdowns

Coach said: “He’s one of the best route runners I’ve ever coached. He’s a mini Cooper Kupp. Great leader.”

WR/CB JR Bosch — Sr. — 6-0, 180

2021 stats: 19 catches, 389 yards, four TDs, 24 tackles, four interceptions

Coach said: “He’s a speedster. He made a lot of explosive plays for us last year. He’ll start both ways.”

LB Will Clemens — Sr. — 6-1, 220

2021 stats/honors: SF Chronicle first team, All-Metro, 102 tackles, 11 for loss

Coach said: “He’s one of the best linebackers we’ve ever had. Just a great football player. Tough as they come. Great leader as well.”

DL Trent Carrade — Sr. — 6-3, 267

2021 stats/honors: First-team All-MCAL, All-Metro, 39 tackles, four sacks.

Coach said: “We’re super excited about his senior season. He’ll anchor us in the middle but he’s quick enough to play the edge. Fun guy to watch.”

LB/TE Daniel O’Leary — Sr. — 6-3, 215

Coach said: “Plays hybrid linebacker or edge rusher. Also a long snapper. Phenomenal athlete. Ivy League kid.”

S Robert Tuttle — Sr. — 5-9, 175

Coach said: “He’s dedicating his season to his older brother JP Tuttle, who missed all of last year due to an injury. He’ll make a big impact.”

WR/S Drew Ramos — Sr. — 5-11, 190

2021 stats/honors: 64 solo tackles, 2nd team All-MCAL

KEY NEWCOMERS

WR Braiden Bacich-Dixon — So. — 6-4, 210

Coach said: “The eye test says ‘Are you kidding me?’ He’s got the size, work ethic and athleticism to go places.”

WR Greer Arthur — Jr. — 6-2, 200

Coach said: “He did get time last season (eight catches, 211 yards, 3 TDs) but he’ll be a big contributor in 2022.”

REGULAR SEASON GAME OF THE YEAR

No question, the final game on the schedule at San Marin just got more interesting.

The battle of defending state champions — the Mustangs won the 5-AA title last season and finished 14-1 — was already circled before Cook transferred. Now this MCAL showdown that will likely decide the league title takes on a little more fire.

Marin Catholic escaped with a 21-14 win over San Marin last season. It’s been one sided for years, however, with the Wildcats winning 16 of 17 since 2004 including the last 14 straight.

BEST-CASE SCENARIO

10-0

The Wildcats have dominated the MCAL with 39 straight wins after Justin-Siena snapped a 37-game league win streak in 2014. So unless San Marin can pull off the stunner in Week 10, the only place Marin Catholic could falter is in the nonleague.

Of those five opponents, perennial Nevada power Spanish Springs could give the Wildcats some problems. The Cougars went 5-6 last year, but their JV team went 9-0. Antioch, Freedom and James Logan are large, public school programs that dwarf Marin Catholic in enrollment, but lately haven’t shown its normal dominance.

MOST REALISTIC SCENARIO

9-1/5-0 MCAL

With so many games on the road — seven of 10 — and the rugged nonleague schedule, the Wildcats could falter. And it might not be the worst thing for them.

COACH SAID

“Our goals are definitely to go back-to-back (state titles), but that talk comes at the start of the season and is shelved the rest of the season. It becomes a week-to-week proposition then.

“Our main focus is internal. We’ll challenge ourselves to be the best team we can be.

“We have a lot of experience back. Our guys know the program. We have a new guy running the show at quarterback. We’ve had a long line of good ones at the position (starting with Lions’ starter Jared Goff), but we’ll remind Joey to not try to be the last guy. Just be yourself. We like what we see there. If he is, we’ll be in very good shape.”

--Mazi Moayed